[Thymopentin in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma]

Thirty-three patients were treated with thymopentin (synthetic thymic-hormone) after complete surgical removal of cutaneous malignant melanoma without clinical evidence of metastases and with evidence of immunocellular deficiency, with the aim of obtaining a normalization of the immunological parameters. The cell-mediated immunity was evaluated by utilizing monoclonal antibodies CD3, CD4, CD8, CD21, NK and the Multitest C.M.I. (Institut Merieux-Lyon-France), before treatment and then every three months. A follow-up at 29 months showed an improvement of the immune parameters: respectively 58%, 67% and 42% of the patients undergoing therapy had an increase of 40% of the CD3, CD4 and NK lymphocytes. Seven patients, with pre-existing hypergy following tests of skin-reactions, present a normalization of this parameter during the treatment. In the follow-up three patients had metastases. The results show the improvement of the considered immunological parameters and low percentage of relapses. It may be considered as a preventive measure for immunological control of relapses.